When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. – 2 Timothy 4:13

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 27, 2018): 2 Timothy 4

The great Sherlock Holmes, or Arthur Conan Doyle, believed that “To a great mind, nothing is little.” If we are observant, there are always little cues that tell us a lot. But we have to be willing to look and listen.

There is so much that we do not know about Paul’s final days. Did he make it to Spain after he was released from his prison episode in Rome is a question that has been asked without a satisfactory answer for centuries. But in this simple comment, Paul gives us some details on how his last days were spent.

The first thing we should note is that Paul likely had advance knowledge of his final arrest (we do not know if Paul realized that this would be his final arrest.) We know that the prophet Agabus warned Paul of his upcoming arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21) and so it is possible that something similar might have happened just before this arrest. It was common practice for soldiers to arrest someone and take any property possessed by the prisoner as their own. So Paul’s comment here seems to indicate that Paul was warned, of his upcoming arrest, at Troas and was able to give some of his more prized possessions to a friend before they were claimed by the soldiers. Some argue that Paul was likely arrested at Troas, but that doesn’t necessarily follow. He might have been arrested at Troas, but the actual arrest may have happened later. All we know is that Paul was warned of his upcoming arrest and was able to give some of his possessions to a friend named Carpus before his arrest.

Second, while it seemed that Paul understood that his life was coming to an end (I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – 2 Timothy 4:6-7), he remained a student to the very end. He wanted the books he had left at Troas brought to him, and especially his parchments, which would have been Paul’s copy of the Tanakh, or the Old Testament. Just because his life was coming to an end did not stop the Apostle’s thirst for knowledge. Even late in his life, he had more that he wanted to know about his God. For Paul, the need to learn more never ended.

Our need to learn should never end either. There should never be a point in our lives when we have learned enough about our God. We need to give in to our thirst to learn more.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted … - 2 Timothy 3:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 26, 2018): 2 Timothy 3

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in “The Cost of Discipleship” writes that “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Bonhoeffer was executed during World War II; it was his cost of discipleship. But his words sound different in a society that seems to want to follow Christ for the benefits and tends to overlook the cost often. Of course, it is not just Bonhoeffer’s words that sound different. In “Tortured for Christ” Richard Wurmbrand tells of the cost for preaching in the Communist prison camps. Wurmbrand had declared that Christianity and Communism were incompatible, a crime that would find him sentenced to twenty-five years in the labor camps. (He would serve eight and a half years of his sentence.) In prison, the preaching of the Gospel of Christ was outlawed. Anyone who was found preaching would be given a severe beating. For Wurmbrand and several others, that beating was simply the cost of doing what God had called them to do. And so they preached, and then submitted themselves for their punishment. For Wurmbrand, the cost of following Christ during those eight and a half years was something that he would carry with him for the rest of his life. He carried the scars of the beating and torture until the day that he died. I sometimes wonder what Bonhoeffer and Wurmbrand might think of the reasons that we give for not preaching Jesus, or even mentioning his name, in our workplaces and societal gathering spots.

Paul understood. He writes to Timothy that every Christian should expect persecution. Often in our society, some outside of our faith refer to our belief in God as a crutch indicating that we are weak if we need to rely on such an outdated faith. But the reality is that it takes incredible strength to be a Christian. Being a Christian often means separating ourselves from issues and political groups because their aims to not match the purposes to which our God has called us. We are committed to living a lifestyle that is not easy to live. We cannot be warmongers because we have been called to be peacemakers. We do not support any retributive justice because we have been called to a ministry of reconciliation. As the world calls us to be bigots, we bravely support the equality of all people, regardless of age, gender, race, limitations or even sexual preference. In the face of hate, we must stand up and love.

None of these things are easy. All of them require a strength that is much deeper than that which we possess. But we have been called. And, with God’s strength added to ours, we will make a difference in this world. Persecution for a godly reason will always be welcomed. It is our badge of honor. And even in the face of that persecution, we will demand that this world be rebuilt into a better place, a place of love, mercy, and peace.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. – 2 Timothy 2:24

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 25, 2018): 2 Timothy 2

They gather around the things that they are opposed to full of anger. They lift their protest signs and shout their slogans. It often seems that, in the midst of their confrontation, they have finally found the place where they are truly happy. And there is nothing that they want more than for the confrontation to somehow continue. Or when the battle ends, they search for something else against which they can take a stand.

I understand that if it were possible to interview them in the midst of their most angst-filled moments, it would not be happy thoughts that we would receive in response. They would stress that they are trying to change the way that the world works. Sometimes these people believe that they are the instruments of God’s terrible judgment on the earth. But the reality is that they are neither.

I don’t care what the “hot button topic” might be, direct negative or violent confrontation rarely brings the desired result. Oh, we may be able to coerce a change in behavior with our weapons, threats, or even the overwhelming force of our personality; it is possible, given enough force, to coerce a behavior into the shadows or underground, but nothing has truly changed. And once the weapons or the threat has been removed, once the coercion disappears, everything will return to the way it used to be. If anything, these kinds of confrontations drive us further apart. If the issue is abortion, then the shouting and screaming and chaining of ourselves to equipment is more likely to entrench the various positions then bring unity. The Christian Church’s stand against same-sex sexual intimacy, often with violent and unnecessary rhetoric, has not brought the two sides closer together, it has driven us further apart. There is no solution. We simply make sure that our side of the issue is firmly entrenched. We go to battle with our favorite Bible verses proceeding like a sword from our mouths and wait for God’s wrath to devour our enemies.

Welcome to our world. Except that Paul seems to argue that it shouldn’t be this way, that this world of violent coercion is not the Christian Church; it is not the way that we do things. We don’t shout from the pulpits and call down hellfire on those who will not listen to our message. We step up with love, we are not quarrelsome, but instead, we kindly and quietly open the discussion, as much willing to listen as we are to speak. In this, we teach, not necessarily what it is that we think that they, our opponent, should do, but rather the reasons for our own personal belief. And maybe they, or us, gently change our opinions, even just a little. But no matter the result, Paul’s instructions leave us not as entrench enemies after the discussion, but maybe a little better friends with an increased understanding of the beliefs on both sides of the argument.

Personally, I have been ashamed of the way that the church has handled the abortion issue over the past few decades. Often, in the midst of the conflict, I wonder where Jesus would be? Would he carry the signs with images of aborted fetuses adorned with the word murder? Would he defend the practice, arguing that woman should be able to do what she wants with her own body? I can’t see Jesus doing either of these things. I can see him in the waiting room holding the scared little girls, because most of them are, and whispering in their ears, “No matter what happens in the next few moments, I am with you, and I love you. You are important to me.” And then I wonder if he looks over his shoulder and wonders why the Christians are still shouting their slogans outside of the clinic walls. Why is it that those who profess to be his followers refuse to love those who need to feel that love the most? I wish I knew the answer, but the reality is that we only seem willing to dig our trenches just a little deeper.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3

Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. – 2 Timothy 1:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 24, 2018): 2 Timothy 1

In “The Little Mermaid” Hans Christian Anderson asserts “a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more.” We often forget, in a culture that seems to have a negative relationship with emotion, the importance of our tears. Not only are our tears important as a relief valve for our emotions, but they also signal the depth of our emotions for those in our circles of influence. A world without tears would indeed be a painful place to live. But tears also indicate what it is that we find important.

We have no idea of the context of the tears as Paul begins his letter to Timothy, but we suspect that these tears were shed when Paul and Timothy last left each other’s company. Even the exact circumstances of that meeting are lost to history. Maybe the tears were a result of the importance that the two men placed on the each other or maybe Timothy’s tears were due to the younger man having to leave his mentor in a bad circumstance, such as leaving his mentor in prison after a visit Timothy could have made to Rome. But no matter the reason, Timothy’s tears affected Paul.

And now Paul, remembering the tears, wanted to replace that memory with the joy of seeing Timothy once again. Paul had close connections with Timothy’s family and remembered the pastor repeatedly in his prayers. But nothing replaced the privilege of spending time in the presence of Timothy, a man that Paul loved like a son and had grown to deeply respect.

We have no idea if there ever was a joy-filled reunion between the two men, but if we had to guess the answer is likely no. Second Timothy is the last letter that we have in our possession penned by Paul. There may have been others, but we just don’t know. There is some evidence that, once Paul was released from his prison cell, he went on to Spain and spent a short period there. And then, as he returned to Rome and maybe on his way to see Timothy in Ephesus, where Paul had entrusted the Ephesian church to his leadership, Paul was once again arrested. This time his prison sentence would end with the apostle’s execution.

It is maybe interesting to note that while we think of Timothy being a young man as Paul writes his letters to him, the reality is that Timothy was likely around fifty as Paul sends him this letter. But that does not change Paul’s memory of his student, maybe proving that we are always young to the ones who have spent a portion of their lives teaching us. Youth is indeed a relative thing.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 2

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. - Titus 2:7-8

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 23, 2018): Titus 2 & 3

Travel writer Rick Steeves says that “Self-consciousness kills communication.” I am not sure that he is right. Self-consciousness, or maybe better put, thinking before we speak or measuring our words, often kills misunderstanding, confusion, conflict, and other forms of miscommunication. I think, to Steeves point, it also kills some of the fun of communication (I mean, how would we deride our political leaders if they never misspoke), but the reality is that it is hastily spoken words that threaten to bring down our reputations. And for leaders of any kind, the danger is magnified.

The problem with the words we speak is that they can never be completely erased. In our digital age, I am always warning people about what they write on their social media accounts. There is no such thing as a “private message” because anything that is written can be shared. And while this danger is most obvious with the things that we write down, the danger is also present with the words that we speak. In politics, we often see political communication officers trying to walk something back that has been said, or written. But those hastily spoken words are impossible to walk back completely. We always leave the impression that what we said was what we believe, and that the walked back version of our words are only present because of expediency. And again, we return to Steeves’s accusation that “self-consciousness kills communication.” If what we speak first is always the truth, then maybe he his right. But often those words that we have to walk back are not what we truly believe, although, in the end, we have to work to defend them.

Paul, speaking to a young pastor, instructs him to possess integrity in his teachings and to exhibit a soundness of speech that cannot be condemned. As I write, I have to admit that I liberally use my backspace button on my keyboard, constantly questioning what it is that I really want to say. Sometimes I know I hit some hot topics. And if what I am writing is truly what I believe, then I am okay with that. If I am condemned, I want it to be for a hill on which I am willing to die – a message that carries that level of importance. For instance, I hope that frequent readers of this blog clearly understand that I believe in the primacy of love. If you want to criticize me because you believe that hate is appropriate in some circumstances, I am okay with having that discussion. But the primacy of love is a hill on which I am willing to die, and it is an issue for which I believe I have strong biblical support. I would not want any hastily chosen words to destroy that message. I believe in love.

As a people, I am convinced that we are called to be a people who chooses their words carefully. We are to be a people who infrequently have to walk our words back because we are careful with what we say. We understand the weight of our words, and so we decide to use them carefully. We speak with an important message on our lips, and we know that every word counts.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 1

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. – Titus 1:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 22, 2018): Titus 1

The most famous line of Oscar Wilde’s four-act comedy “Lady Windemere’s Fan” also sums up the play’s central theme; “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” The only difference seems to be whether we tend to look down or look up. We are often taught that this difference often divides this world into two types of people: the pessimists and the optimists. But the world never seems to be equally divided between the two groups; it always seems that there are more pessimists than there are optimists.  

Paul seems to be making the argument that as Christians we should be optimists, that we are the ones who see what is pure and positive in the world around us, which seems opposed to most Christians that I know. If we are honest, we seem to be a very pessimistic bunch. We always seem to expect the worst of each other, and often argue that no one’s motives are pure. But Paul argues that that is a symptom of our corruption and not a sign that we have been recreated by the work of the Holy Spirit that lives in us. We believe that all things, at the very least, have the potential to be pure and right. And our belief is based on the God who is active in our lives. We might be stuck in the gutter, but all we can see are the stars.

Every person we meet is loaded with this God-driven potential. No matter how badly our opponents want to characterize us as lonely bitties sticking our noses into everyone else’s business and preaching a message that is stuck on the reality of hell, that is not who we are supposed to be. We are the ones who are looking at the stars and expecting great things of everyone. Because our concentration is on the stars, we expect this world to be a better place. We reject the idea that the world is out to get us, and we want to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

And so we work with a single purpose, to make this world into the place that God desires it to be. We are the ones who see the purity of God’s creation all around us. We believe that love is a positive weapon that can change the world because Jesus believed that. And nothing will stop us from reaching for the stars. We are salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are the ones destined to bring both flavor and light to our communities. We are the optimists who believe that this world can be a better place – a pure place. And we aren’t waiting for heaven.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Titus 2 & 3

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. – 1 Peter 4:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 21, 2018): 1 Peter 4 & 5

Economist David Stockman had some interesting words for the President of the United States just before his March 2018 announcement of steel and aluminum tariffs. He called the steel industry the “crybabies of the beltway” and declared that, while the United States does need to fix its massive trade deficit, a tariff on steel and aluminum would not even begin to fix the problem. According to Stockman, the steel and aluminum deficit amounted to little more than a pebble in the shoe. While, because of an active lobby presence in Washington, the steel and aluminum industry could cause great pain, steel and aluminum was not the real problem. But the lobby had found a sucker, the President of the United States, who somehow believed that his tariff on Steel and Aluminum was the first step toward fixing the massive trade imbalance of the United States. The real problem was being left unchecked, which according to Stockman was the relative strengths, or more precisely the artificial weaknesses, of foreign currency and the inability of American industry to find a way to remain competitive on the world stage. That was what needed to be fixed, not the steel industry. (Stockman also pointed out that the Steel industry has promised to become more competitive for the last fifty years, but lobbying the President was simply easier than fixing their industry.)

It is amazing how the little things can upset all that we try to accomplish. Stockman argued that the steel industry was essentially looking for an easy way out of its trouble. They had become an irritant, and the irritant had stolen the focus away from the real problem. They were a pebble in the shoe.

Hospitality is one of the prime focuses of the Christian Church. If a church wants to follow the command of Christ and love, then it must participate in hospitality. Hospitality is an act of welcoming and doing for the other. It is not something that we understand very well in North American culture. Part of the problem is that we have become very egocentric. We don’t care about the other; our main focus has become ourselves.

It wasn’t that long ago that hospitality looked something like this. Someone came over to your home; you offered them a cup of coffee (or tea). You did this because it is the hospitable thing to do. Your visitor politely declines, because that is also the polite thing to do. But you insist. “Are you sure you don’t want some coffee?” Your visitor declines once more. So you continue, “Well, you know, I was going to make myself some coffee anyway.” Your visitor replies “Well, if it’s no trouble.” And before you know it you are sitting at the kitchen table having a nice visit drinking coffee.

Today, a typical visit looks like this. “Would you like a cup of coffee?” “No thank you.” And there the visit ends. No one gets any coffee. Nor is there any vulnerability by the lowering of walls so that we can really get to know each other. And often today the persistence is replaced by grumbling. And grumbling, by its very nature, destroys the hospitality. It is a small thing, but it removes our focus from where it needs to be. This world would be a much nicer place if we could just offer hospitality to each other, without grumbling or snapping, and simply do for each other. But that kind of hospitality seems to be lost in yesteryear, but something that badly needs to be revived in our contemporary society.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Titus 1